9 Years Earlier: The James Potter Story
by Linkin-Pork101
Summary: Do we even know what happened during James' seven years at Hogwarts, until his death? Not many people know, but I'm willing to tell you... Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride...(resubmitted for grammatical reasons)


The James Potter Files, Book One

"Sir…_Sir!_  Your Hogwarts letter has arrived!"  Yettle the house elf said.  James Potter groaned, swatted at the creature, and turned over, revealing his hazel eyes, looking groggily into Yettle's huge green ones.

"Jus-just put it on the nightstand, Yettle…" said James, yawning heartily.  He closed his eyes sleepily.

"Yes sir," Yettle whispered unnecessarily.  He left the room, and as soon as James heard the door shut quietly, he hopped out of bed, and grabbed the letter.  His eyes as wide as galleons, he ripped the envelope and read the letter.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY_

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

Dear Mr. Potter,

    We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at     Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  Please find enclosed

a list of all necessary books and equipment.

    Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later than 

July 21

Yours Sincerely, 

Minerva McGonagall

                   Minerva McGonagall,

                        _Deputy Headmistress_

James eagerly turned the page to the books and equipment.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY_

uniform

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black) One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) One winter cloak (black, silver fastening) 

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

course books

            All students should have a copy of the following:

                _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_

        by Miranda Goshawk

                _ A History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot

                _Magical Theory _by Adalbert Waffling

                _A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration _by Emeric Switch

                _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_

    by Phyllida Spore

                _Magical Drafts and Potions_ by Arsenius Jigger

                _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_

    by Newt Scamander

                _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_

by Quentin Trimble

other equipment         

            1 wand

            1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

            1 set glass or crystal phials

            1 telescope

            1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

            PARENTS  ARE  REMINDED  THAT  FIRS T YEARS

            ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

James ran to his closet and grabbed some plain silver robes.  He threw them on and ran downstairs.

"Mom! Dad!  My letter came!" he yelled, flying down the stairs. (No pun intended)

"Whoa, son, slow down there,"  Harold Potter said, carrying some glass fish past the stairs, as James almost collided into him.

"Dad!  It came!"  James shoved the letter into his father's full hands.  The force of the push caused his father to drop the fish.  He shattered to the ground.  His father took his wand out, and muttered "_Reparo." _ The fish repaired themselves, and he levitated them onto a nearby table.

"What's the ruckus?"  Shannon Potter asked, coming around the corner.  She held a cahier of papers in her arms, and they looked close to falling.

"Mum, my letter came!  It's here!  I'm going to Hogwarts!"  James' mother smiled caringly, and went back into the kitchen, where wonderful smells were wafting out.  James ran upstairs after Harold had handed the letter back, and went to his dresser.  He opened a drawer, and pulled out a thick, shiny stick   This stick was special, though.  It was made of mahogany wood, and was exactly 11 inches long.  This wasn't very special to the normal person, but James wasn't normal.  James Potter was a wizard, which is where our story begins.

Actually this story begins with four wizards, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin.  These four great humans were secretly wizards.  They wanted to unite and form a school, to teach young magical people.  They formed a school, Hogwarts, and things went smoothly.  Until…Slytherin thought they should be pickier about the students of the school.  He thought that only children with two magical parents should be accepted into the school.  The other founders disagreed, and after a fight with Gryffindor, Slytherin left the school.  Now, almost 2,000 years later, students continue going to the school.  They are sorted into houses, named after the four founders: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.  Each house has its own traits, and children are sorted accordingly, Gryffindor, for bravery, Hufflepuff, for loyalty, Ravenclaw, for wit, and Slytherin, for cunningness.  This is where James Potter is headed.

James ran downstairs.  He jumped around his father, begging him to bring him to Diagon Ally.  Finally his father gave in.

"Cool, thanks dad!"  James ran back upstairs, and grabbed his wand once again.  He raced back downstairs, completely winded.  Mr. Potter smiled, and dragged him to the family fireplace.  Mr. Potter went first, followed by James.  After landing dizzily outside of Diagon Alley, they stepped up and dusted themselves. 

"So, James, where to first?"  Mr. Potter asked.

James looked around, "Might as well get the worst over first, how 'bout Flourish and Blotts?" Harold handed James a sack of money.  

"Use this wisely, it's just enough for what you need.  Meet at the Leaky Cauldron, in, say, about an hour," James smiled, nodded, trudged off to the store. 

After getting two copies of every book he needed, headed toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions: a size 12.  He also got his dragon-hide gloves, and all his other necessities.

He headed outside toward the cauldron shop, but was stopped by the sight of a ragged boy looking wistfully at Flourish and Blotts, but then trudging away dishonorably.  James raced to catch up.

"Hey!" he called.  "Hey you!" he yelled.  The boy turned around to reveal a surprisingly clean face.  His hair, however, seemed to have small wisps of gray in them, even at his young age.  James jogged to him, trying successfully to carry all his things.  Remus looked, in hidden awe, at the packages so neatly wrapped. James, once again panting, stopped right in front of him.

"Hey, why didn't you just go in and buy that?"  He asked, rather rudely. 

The small boy looked down, and blushed a beat red. He mumbled something incoherently.  James furrowed his brow.

"'Scuse me?"  He asked.

"Wehaven'tenoughmoney…" he blurted.

James looked at his packages, and had a sudden burst of pity.

"Well, if you'd like, I could…well, I mean, I could pay for it," James smiled hopefully.

The boy smiled. "I think I'd like that much, if its no trouble on you, o'course," he said.

James smiled, and shook his head.  He led the way into the bookstore.  Remus ran and picked out the book he wanted, and brought it to James.  James generously took the book, and set the money on the table.  The cashier took the money, and handed him the right amount of change.  James took it, and handed it to James.  Remus blushed once again.  

"N-no I couldn't…" he stuttered, but James shoved it into his hands, and handed him another ten galleons from his bag.  Remus shook his head, but James refused the take back.  Seeing no other alternative, Remus fumbled with the pocket of his robes, and shoved the money into it.  James smiled and stuck out his hand.

"I'm James Potter."

"Remus Lupin."  

The two looked at each other, and after a few minutes, they spoke.

"See you at Hogwarts," and set off in their own directions.

Next he headed toward the cauldron shop.  There he bought a 2 size cauldron, pewter(though he was tempted to get a golden or silver one) for himself.  He looked in awe at the ingredients, but stopped long enough to get his crystal phials.  James looked at Ollivander's wand shop, but smiled, remembering his was a unicorn hair filled on in his pocket.  He had had it since he was a little over six years old. He happily headed to a pet store, with money to spare.

James, laughing at a little girl playing with her mothers wand (she had managed to transform a book into a plush dragon), was not watching where he was going.  He ran into a handsome boy, with dark hair down to his shoulders.  If James' father had not been an Auror, he mightn't have recognized him.  James glared at this boy, Sirius Black, and he walked away, trying to hid his arm, but not without James catching a glance.  He noticed that his arm, instead of slightly darker, like Black's skin, was black and blue.  Shrugging this off painfully, he entered  Eylops Owl Emporium.  James came out with a beautiful black owl,.  James took out his lists, and suddenly remembered that he still needed brass scales and a telescope.  He scurried around like an ant, and then, after getting done, raced off to the Leaky Cauldron, to meet Harold Potter.  Luckily he had time to spare.

Mr. Potter was sitting at the table, sipping a cup of fire whisky, and reading the Daily Prophet.  James leaned over his father's shoulder to see the headline.

**Wizard Family of 4 killed in Death Eater Attack**

"Again…" James said.

"It's the Nicholson's," Mr. Potter said regretfully.

James nodded sadly.

"Well, we might as well go now, are you done?"  James nodded, so Mr. Potter and he stepped into the fire, yelling for the Potter's house.  Both respectfully disappeared in a midst of green flames.


End file.
